Hometown Hits

December 19, 2006|By FROM NEWS SERVICES

- After meeting with GM John Paxson and coach Scott Skiles regarding his unhappiness in Chicago, P.J. Brown apologized to the Bulls. But nobody from Brown's camp or Bulls management disputed the notion that Brown might be happier elsewhere. Brown is averaging just 16.5 minutes--15.4 below his career average.

- Only Ben Gordon of three Bulls interviewed offered an opinion about the Knicks-Nuggets brawl. "I definitely feel [the Nuggets] shouldn't have had their starters in when they're up by 20," Gordon said. He also was surprised the fight even happened. "I thought the foul was a hard foul, but I don't think it should've started a brawl."

- KR Devin Hester was the leading vote-getter among rookies in Pro Bowl fan balloting. Pro Bowl teams will be announced Tuesday, with eight Bears finishing as the top vote-getters at their positions: Hester, Tommie Harris, Brendon Ayanbadejo, Robbie Gould, Lance Briggs, Olin Kreutz, John Tait and Brian Urlacher.

- Coach Lovie Smith saluted the crowd for contributing to some false-start penalties on the Bucs. "Being as loud as they were really helped us with a few penalties that put us in position to win it," he said.

- Teenage golf sensation Michelle Wie has come to the aid of paralyzed Rock Island High School football player Travis Hearn. Wie called Hearn on Friday at the Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago after learning of his plight and donated $25,000 to the Travis Hearn Fund. "I told Travis not to give up, and he said, 'Never. Never. Never,' " Wie said.